We are a democratic charity led by students for students. We are here to provide support, representation, events, communities and services for you, as students. As a separate organisation form the University, we are always on hand to support you no matter your query.

Why run to be a student leader?

Being part of a society at university is a great way to meet like-minded people and discover hidden talents. If you’ve discovered a society, you’re particularly passionate about, you might decide to take it a step further and become part of the team that runs it.

Being part of a university society committee is a great way to get more involved in your favourite group, gain leadership skills and improve the society for others. It can be brilliant in developing yourself, especially for future workplaces but also gives you a chance to take your society to the next level, create ideas and events and be in a student leadership position at university. It may even take you to your future job!

What roles should I run for?

Different societies will have varying roles, so it’s important to find out which roles they have, and which are available to you.

Common roles are:

President and Vice President – they run the society, make crucial decisions and resolve disputes

Secretary – handles the paperwork, sign-ups and emails

Treasurer – handles the society’s finances

Social Secretary – organises social events for the society

There are a range of roles to choose from – find one that suits you. Source: Shutterstock

It can be tempting to run in all guns blazing and apply for President. This is the position with the most responsibility and will impress employers the most. But it’s important to consider which role best suits your personality and availability.

Always choose something that lets you be yourself.

It can be helpful to consider the following:

How much time do you have? Can you dedicate a lot of your time to a significant role, or do you have demanding studies or a part-time job you need to focus on first?

How committed are you? Are you ready to put your blood, sweat and tears into the society, or do you just want to have fun while gaining new skills?

What best suits your personality? Are you extroverted and thrive around people, or do you work best behind the scenes making sure everything’s in order?

There’s no point applying for a role you can’t fulfil or won’t enjoy. Make sure you consider whether you’ll have the time and motivation to make the most of it, or whether you’re being overly optimistic.

It’s a good idea to get in contact with the current society committee member of the role you’re applying for. They’ll be able to explain what the role is like, challenges they faced and the things they would do if they had more time.

Key Dates

The following dates are key points in the Elections journey, so you are aware how much you can get involved with and not to miss any important dates!

Nominations Open Online – Monday 30th March at 12pm

Nominations Close Online – Sunday 12th April at 23:59pm

Voting Open Online – Monday 13th April at 12pm

Voting Closes – Thursday 23rd April at 23:59pm

Results Online – Friday 24th April at 14:00pm

Signatory Agreement Deadline for 2020/21 – 5pm on the 31st May 2020 to Kate in the RSU Reception.

Handover Deadline – 31st May 2020 (If this is not possible, please communicate this with the new committee.

New Society Committee Training Sessions -

Wednesday 13th May –15:00pm -16:30pm (Portrait Room, Grove House)

Wednesday 23rd September – 15:00 – 16:30pm (Location to be confirmed)

Nomination Process

Here’s the key information you need to know:

• By standing for election, all candidates agree to the Students’ Union policies, articles and

regulations. This is important, as these documents govern how we operate, run

and support students effectively. Unsure what these are? You can find them online at

• All candidates agree for their data to be shared with the University for Election

Administration Purposes. This will help us to support all elected leaders in undertaking

their committee duties such as booking a room or being uploaded on to our website.

• Any nominations submitted passed the deadline, will unfortunately not be able to be

considered. This is to be fair and transparent with the guidance and dates set for all

students.

• Students cannot run for multiple student group positions in one group, yet can run for

multiple roles across elections. We do however recommend; you don’t run for too many

roles. This will not only help you maximise your opportunities but also, provide you with

the time and space to enjoy your committee role.

• Standing in any election confirms that you have confirmed your eligibility to run, including

your membership of the student group and your enrolment at Roehampton.

Get your nomination in before the deadline!

We would also ask you not to just run to stop a society going dormant – if you want to run, fantastic, but please do not succumb to running just because someone says that it will be left if you don’t. This can be a lot of pressure for one person, and stop the society being adopted in the long term by someone who may really want it.

Ready to submit your nomination?

There are a few bits of additional information you can send in when submitting your

nomination online. The key fields such as your name, role, group, are compulsory but there

are some things on top you can submit to help students understand why they should vote for

you or what you are standing for.

Photograph: this helps everyone know who you are and help you stand out from the crowd.

Top tip: this should be a clear head shot submitted as a .jpeg or.png.

Statement: this is a short summary of why you are running for the role and what you would want to do in the position.

The above will be displayed on the website for any prospective voters and each candidate will be displayed alphabetically within each group’s election.

Reminder: just like all the election process, there are some key points to remember

throughout:

• You can’t talk about any other candidates when promoting yourself in the election. This

is important to represent yourself but ensure you are not slandering any other

candidates.

• You mustn’t use the Students’ Union, University or College logos/crests in any

promotional materials.

• Students’ Union resources, including (but not limited to) computers and premises must

not be used to produce, store or assist in the production of campaign materials.

• All manifesto summaries, will be approved by the SU Activities team before being

approved online.

• Once nominations are closed, no changes to online materials or elections, will be

accepted.

Campaigning

It’s important to promote that you are running in the election, to create as much awareness within your student group or student communities. For our student group elections, the focus for campaigning is online. This isn’t just limited to the elections website but also can be done via social media.